Base-ball and like game.



, P. P. 'GAR-BARINO. BASE .B'ALL AND LIKE" GAME; APPLIOATIOK nun: APB'.1,'1909.

945,51 Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

[22 van for E12! ar/6dr! a PAUL :r. sec, or sear Jose, carrronma;

, Basra Specification of Letters-Eaten.

AND LIKE a T all, whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL P. VGARBARINO, citizen of the United States, residing at "San Jose, in the county-of Santa Clara and State,

of California, have invented new and useful Improvementsan Base-Ball and Like Games,

- of which the following is a specification.

it reaches that of different colors,

My invention relates to field games, and particularly such games as base-ball, cricket and the like.

It co'ns'ists of a field having mechanical means for pitching, catching, striking, or, batting the ball; .meansfor advancing the runners to their bases, and fielders located and. movable uponthe field to correspond with the ordinary conditions of the game to beiplayed. t also comprises details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a perspective View ot the invention. Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the ball propelling mechanism. Fig. '3 is a vert cal section of the figures showing .the ball catching and propelling device. Fig. at is a sectional view of the catchers box.

- In the present device I have indicated a ba'll-fie'ld A, and .a diamond B which is inclosedby grooves or channels 2 of sufiicient depth and any desired length to allow of small balls rolling in them. At each angle of this diamond is a pocket or base 3 of suffi clent depth to stop'and retain the ball when point. These balls may be and represent the players or base-runners D; thus one'set of balls, or base-runners, may be red to indicate a nine, and another may be blue to indicate the opposing nine; and these base runner's may, if desired, be marked or named afterprominent players. c r

Grooves or charm'ls, i-serve to contain the base-runners D, and represent the players benches. From these grooves or channels, guides or inclined slots or channels, or other equivalent contri-Vance, connects with the I batters box 3 so that the 'base-runnersrepresenting the players of the side having the nning; will be allowed-t0 move one by one into t batters box, and when the playing or base-ball C is struck, a base-runner isbases 3 as will be hereafter described.

to indicate the runs, and number of innings,

etch, ot-each side, and the score niaythus be The pitcher consists of .a mechanical device for impelli ng the ball. This device is located at 9; j r

"The bat 7 is pivoted as shown at or may be mounted and actuated in any suitable manner, the pivot point being out of lineand to the rear of the bat so that the bat in swinging around this pivot, will have a movement more nearlyresembling that of a batsman. The bat 7 may eitherv be actuated by a spring as at 7*, or it may be swung by the fingers of the operator. When actuated by the spring, the handle may 'be' pushed forward, thus swinging the outer end of the bat backwa-rdly, and when the ball C arrives, by releasing-or. pushing the bat 7 to meet the ball, the stroke will be given and the ball C will be impelled over the field.

, Patented Jan. 4, 191%. Application filed April 1 1809. Serial No. 487,198. Y

v A shallow and somewhat imperfect groove box to the line of-the home-plate 8 over which the bat 7 swings, the imperfection of this groove being suflicient to allow the ball :C to make such variations as are ordinarily given to it by an ordinary pitcher.

At least two persons may play at the game, one actuating the pitching mechanism and the fielders, to be hereafter described; and the batti'n will be actuate by the party representing the other side. I

.; The pitching mechanism consists of a plate 9 which is tulcrumed so that it normally lies below the pocket 9 just In front of the upwardlyextending arm of the plate. The plate is actuated by means ot a push button 10 which is located at a suitable pomt at the outer side of the field, and within reach of the party representing the side which is pitching and fielding. The push button 10 is connected by a rod 11 with the plate 9, and this rod may be pivoted or fulcrumed, as shown at 11*, so that it will act to raise the plate 9, and as this plateis pref- 'erably in the form of a bell-crank pivoted at 9 the lifting movementof 9 will also produce a forward movement which, acting upon the ball lying in the pocket, '9, will impel it in the direction of the hat. The forward surface of this plate -9 may be slightly concaved; so that as it contacts with or channel may be made from the pitchers and running mechanisnr the ball, it will actto drive the-ball in the proper direction.

At the batters box and at each of the bases 3, are similarly inclined or beveled plates so pivoted that the raising of the plates will impel the ball from the base where it lies, to the next one. This may be effected b push buttons a, b, c and (Z, located pre erably near the catchers position,

and capable of being operated by the party representing the side which has its innings. One of these buttons, as a, is connected by a lever to impel a ball lying in the pocket representing the batters box,to the first base; another as b, to impel from the first to the second; another from the second to thethird, and a final one from the third to the home plate. I

Out fielders consist of figures represented at 13 with small cages 14: located between the legs of the fielders, as shown. These cages have within them levers formed as shown at 15, and pivoted at 16. The upper portion of the lever 15 projects forwardly,

- and at such a height that a ball C rolling and at the same time throwing the vertical portion forward,- the ball will be impelled out of the box and in any direction toward which the fielder faces. These fielders 13 with their boxes are loosely placed on the field, and may be moved by the party controlling this portion of the game so that if the base-ball is impelled by the bat in the directlon of either fielder he may, if moved batter out.

quickly enough, be placed in such position that the ball will enter the box and be held there, which will indicate a catch and the The base-ball Omay then be thrown by the mechanism just described toward either of the bases 3. These bases preferably have short diverging guide lines or grooves 3 so that when the ball ap-' proaches the base, it will be directed into the pocket of that base, if the pocket is vacant by reason of a runner having left it, or not having arrived.

At the outer anglesof the field and diagonally opposite each other are located pockets 16. These pockets are outside of the extension of what are known as the foul lines, and a ball entering one of these pockets would indicate a foul out. Directly in line from the home-plate 8 to the pitchers box and at the farthest angle of the field, 1s located a pocket 17 which if the ball is so struck as to enter this pocket, will indicate a home run. Other pockets 18, such as shown may be located along the sides of the field between the pocket 16 and pocket 17, and of these pockets one may indicate a two base hit, and the other a three base hit, in case the ball enters either of them.

To playa game of table base ball, it re quires at least two persons. When two persons are playing, the person whose side is "at the bat 7, manipulates the base buttons a, b, 0, and d and the bat. The person reprepitchers button, marked 10, and all of the movable fielders 13.

bind the home-plate. I have here shown it as consisting of an arched piece, the arch having a height suflicient to allow the ball to enter, and the roof of the arch is inclined sufiiciently to cause the ball to stick if it enters fairly, which will constitute a catch. Any ball that is caught and held by the catchers box is equivalent to and counted 'as a strike. i 1

The game is then played as follows: First,Place the colored balls or runners (blue and red), which represent the nine men in each team, on the players bench.

Second,-Place the ball C in the pitchers box.

Third,Place the outfielders 13 in their respective positions in the field A, but not in direct line of pockets 1 6, 17, or 18, in the outfield.

sitions, the first up to bat is to be placed in the batsmans box 3'.

Fifth,The ballC is delivered to the bat.-

man by pressing button 10. Sixth,To use the bat 7 properly, place the thumb of the left hand on the handle of bat, and slip thumb ofi" end of bat when striking the ball.

Seventh,lf the hit be fair, the base-runner A is advanced to first base by pressing base button a, and when advancing runner to second'base, press button I); when advancing runner to third base, press button '0, and when advancing runner to home plate, press button d.

Eighth,-If the ball C, when struck, enters any of the three center pockets in the outfield, the batman is entitled to as many bases as the pockets indicate. This rule applies only when ball goes direct from bat to pocket.

Ninth,-If ball goes direct from bat to ners, the batman is out.

Tenth,-If ball C goes direct from bat to either of thethree base pockets 3 and stays there, the batman-,is out, and if the ball, when going direct from bat, hits pitcher 9, the batman is out.

Eleventh,-If the ball goes direct from the bat and hits a runner on base, the batman is senting the opposite side manipulates the The catchers box is located at 19 just be-' Fourth,Theplayers D being in their p0- either of the two foul pockets 16 in coris considered a Sixteenth,Persons mechanical devices so that by a smart out, and also the base runner on base, as'this double play Twelfth,-As each man is declared out,

he is placed back on the players bench 4 in their order.

Thirteenth,A ball C that is hit and does not go beyond the base lines, is a foul.

Fourteenth-The figures 13, representing the outfielders, are not to be considered as stationary, but are to be moved in any position on the outfield when fielding the ball C by the persons manipulating them.

F ifteenth,A ball C coming direct from the bat 7' to the pocket attached to outfielders and stays there, is a fair catch, and the batter is out, but if the ball does not'stay in pocket, it is an error, and batter is safe.

v playing the game must not use their hands, when throwing the ball to bases, but by tipping the figures (referring to fielder-s 13 which are not provided with means for ejecting the ball). a little forward so as to release the ball, and shoving it toward the base desired, constitutes a thrown ball by the outfielder.

In playing other games of a similar character, such as cricket, it will be understood that the bat would be suspended to swing in an approximately vertical plane instead of a horizontal one so as to be deflected from the wicket.

- If a simpler and less expensive game is desired, the pitched ball may be impelled by the finger, and the return balls from the outfielders in the same way, by eliminating the push on the part of the outfielder, the ball may be impelled. The bat may, in the same manner, be swung by the action of the fingers instead of by a spring. Also the base-runners may be impelled by the fingers instead of the levers above described.

Havmg thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s- 1. In an apparatus of the character described, a field, a pitchers and a batters box, a swinging bat and means for impelling it, means for impelling the ball from the pitchers box in the direction of the bat, movable outfielders with means for catching an impelled ball, and ball impelling means associated with said outfielders.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a field, a pitchers and a batters box, a bat, means by which said bat may be swung, means by which the ball may be impelled from the pitchers box toward the bat, movable out-fielders with means for catching an imdpelled ball, ball impelling pockets adapted to receive and hold the ball,

and means connected therewith whereby the ball may be impelled in any direction.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a pitching device, said device consisting of a bell-crank lever fulcrumed at one of its ends and below the field level, means by which the other end is moved upwardly and forwardly about the pivot, and means for holding the ball in position to be impelled by said moving lever.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a pivoted bell-.crank lever normally located below the plane of the field, means on said field for temporarily retaining a ball in front of the lever, means for raising and advancing the lever about its fulcrum point, said means consisting of a push button located in or near the field margin, and a rod connecting said push button with the lever.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, out-fielders including open-mouthed boxes adapted to receive a ball, a lever fulcrumed in each box, said lever having means for retaining a ball,and means by which the ball may be again ejected from the box'.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, movable outfielders having open mouthed pockets, a lever fulcrumed at the rear of each of said pockets, said lever having a forwardly projecting arm adapted to catch and retain a ball, a downwardly projecting arm against which the ball rests, and means by which thelever may be moved to simultaneously raise the holding arm and impel the ball out of the pocket. v

8. In an apparatus of the character described, pitching, I batting and catching boxes, a diamond having pockets represent ing bases and guiding grooves or channels between. said pockets, manually actuated mechanism contiguous to each of the pockets whereby balls representing players may be impelled from one pocket to another, said mechanism including a bell crank lever fulcrumed at one of its ends and below the field level, and means for raising ands advancing the lever about its fulcrum point.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, pitching, batting and catching boxes, a diamond having pockets at the angles, and connecting grooves or channels,

means for delivering balls representing players sucessively into the first or batters box pocket, independent means by which either of the balls may be impelled from its pocket to the next one in advance, said means including a bell crank lever fulcrumed at one of its ends and normally located below the field level, and means for moving the lever about its fulcrum.

10. In an apparatus of the character-described, a field, stationary run indicating pockets located about the field, outfielders movable upon the field, said outfielders provided with pockets adapted to receive and hold the ball, and means connected therewith whereby the ball may be impelled in any direction, pitching, batting and catching boxes, a bat located between the pitch ing and catching boxes, and means for swinging the bat, receptacles to hold the 10 players in their order, means by which the players may be successively advanced to the batters box, means for advancing the players to indicate runs, and means for keeping the tally of the runs and of the score.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto setmy hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PAUL P. GAR-BAR-INO. \Vitnesses:

J. H. RUSSELL, ELMER J. \VARE. 

